Vladimir Putin: The man who put Russia back in reckoning

No one observing Russian politics was surprised with the outcome of Russian presidential elections held on March 18. The popularity that Vladimir Putin has enjoyed ever since he became the President in 2000 has been tremendous. Domestically, Russia was in dire straits and had just emerged from the disastrous market reforms of the 1990s and the 1998 financial crisis during Boris Yeltsin’s presidency. The new President had no remarkable pre-announced economic policy but he slashed taxes to benefit business and the state also took control of the tax-evading energy and banking oligarch’s businesses. Unused manufacturing capacity and rising prices for oil helped usher in an era of unprecedented prosperity that Putin is remembered for, with real disposable income doubling between 1999 and 2006.

Putin has been on top of popularity ratings in the opinion polls throughout his career. Putin’s differences with the West has characterised him a villain in the West, but a hero at home. Russia’s occupation of Crimea triggered crippling international sanctions on the country and has been at the centre of Russia-Europe tensions.

The shift of election dates to March 18 was also an interesting event, as it happened to coincide with the Russian ‘reintegration’ of Crimea with Russia. Eighteen years and three completed presidential terms and one prime ministerial term later, Russia is transformed beyond recognition from the turbulent 90s. Domestically and internationally, the stature of Putin, as a leader of the Russian people and of its interests, has gone up.

Putin has asserted the primacy of Russia as the primary player in the former Soviet Union known in Russia as the “Near Abroad” (blizhneye zarubezhye). The ‘re-integration’ of the Crimean peninsula which was preceded by a victorious five-day war with Georgia in 2008. This flexing of the military muscle of Moscow later came to be known as the Putin doctrine. Through these interventions, Russia made it clear that it was prepared to flex its military might in the imminent threat of advancing NATO’s geographical reach. Through this, Putin has earned tremendous support not just in Russia but also abroad. Putin strengthens the role of Russia in the international arena by making it one of the the top three global influencers, along with the US and China.

In the changing dynamics of West Asia, a new Cold War is emerging and a new coalition of sorts is emerging. Russia, China, Turkey and Iran are coming together and may provide an alternative narrative to the discourse on world politics. The Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal’s poisoning incident in UK has once again sharpened the already existing fissures between Russia and the West. However, worsening relations with the EU has only sped up its pivot to Asia. Putin has his keen eyes on democratic countries in emerging markets and the Arab Spring’s failure to bring fundamental change in West Asia has helped his cause. Russia is on the watch to capture these opportunities in the energy sector. Putin’s policy towards Asian countries, especially China and Iran, has been quite warm. It is also coming closer to Pakistan which is causing much heartburn to India.

Putin, an advocate of multipolarity, has shifted in recent years towards greater commercial and defence proximity with Asian countries as it is believed that their growing economies are good for Russia’s energy business and the governments are less judgmental of its record. Two big deals to supply China with gas has been arrived at, one of which is worth $400 billion. The two countries will hold joint naval exercises besides exporting Russian railroad technology to North Korea. Of particular interest to the international community has been the Russian role in ongoing civil war in Syria. Through armed intervention and diplomatic negotiations, Putin has turned his country into one of the major actors in the Syrian conflict. The world needs to realise that Russia historically deserves greater respect, and if shown that respect, will respond positively.